How to Build a Mudroom Bench With Storage (Even If You Can't Build)

My entryway is a tiny nook about 36 inches wide that previously served as "the place where shoes went to die." I didn't have the skills or the budget for a custom built-in mudroom bench. I had IKEA, a $9 piece of plywood from Home Depot, and a Saturday. Here's how I ended up with a mudroom bench that looks custom and cost $138 total.

The IKEA hack approach

The secret: don't build a bench from scratch. Take existing furniture — IKEA Kallax units, particularly — and convert them into storage benches by adding a top board and some cushions.

Kallax units are cube storage from IKEA. A 2x2 Kallax is $70 and is basically the perfect mudroom bench base — 30" tall, deep enough to sit on, and open cubes on the front for baskets, shoes, and bins.

For a wider entryway, use a 4x1 Kallax (the long low one) — $90. That's what I did. Four cubes lined up, exactly the right height for an entryway bench.

The full parts list

• IKEA Kallax 4x1 (low wide) — $90
• 1x12 pine board, 8 ft — $22 (top surface)
• Wood stain + poly OR paint + poly — $15 if you have to buy
• 4 woven storage baskets for the cubes (thrifted or HomeGoods) — $24
• Long cushion for the top (thrifted outdoor cushion) — $8
• Wall hooks for coats — already had ($15 if buying)
• Finish nails or pocket screws to attach the top — $4
• Total: $163 (without wall hooks)

A comparable pre-made mudroom bench at Pottery Barn: $799.

Building the Kallax

IKEA will mail you to the instructions. Standard stuff — cam locks, wooden dowels, a little fury, a handful of tears, success. The one upgrade I recommend: when you assemble, add a thin bead of wood glue on the dowels before they go in. Kallax units are infamous for wobbling over time. Glue takes 2 extra minutes and fixes that forever.

The top — this is the custom-looking part

Here's where the hack transcends IKEA. A raw Kallax top is particleboard covered in vinyl — it looks cheap and it can't handle a heavy cushion. Instead, get a 1x12 pine board and cut it 2" wider and 2" longer than the top of the Kallax unit.

Sand with 120 then 220 grit. I stained mine with Minwax Special Walnut — the same stain I use on my dining table project (see how to refinish a wood dining table without sanding). Three coats of matte polyacrylic to seal.

Attach the board to the top of the Kallax with pocket screws from underneath — or use long finish nails through the top and fill the holes. Either works. The overhang on all sides makes the whole thing look like it was built, not bought.

Paint or stain the Kallax base?

Totally optional. If you want the bench to look even more custom:

• Prime the Kallax with Zinsser BIN (see my painting laminate furniture post — same deal)
• Paint in a color that matches your trim or contrasts with the wood top
• Seal with polyacrylic

I painted mine in Benjamin Moore Iron Mountain, a deep charcoal. The contrast between the dark painted base and the walnut-stained top is what makes it look like a real mudroom bench.

Baskets for the cubes

The cubes look unfinished without something in them. Woven baskets — seagrass, rattan, cotton rope — look the most custom. HomeGoods has them for $8-15 each. Thrift stores have them for $3-6 each.

I label mine with small brass tags: "shoes," "hats/gloves," "dog stuff" (Biscuit's leash, treats, poop bags), and "bags." The labels are silly but they genuinely help keep the system from collapsing.

Cushion

A long bench cushion for this unit would cost $60-120 new. I thrifted an old outdoor chaise cushion for $8, cut it to length, and recovered it in a yard of Sunbrella-style fabric from Joann (on sale, $12). Staples on the back to hold the new cover. Looks intentional.

Alternative: thrift a long narrow pillow (sometimes sold as a "lumbar" pillow) or use 2-3 regular throw pillows.

Coat hooks above

The bench is half the functionality. Coat hooks above it are the other half. I installed a 1x6 horizontal board (stained to match the top) with four heavy-duty brass hooks spaced evenly across it.

Pro tip: screw the hook rail directly into wall studs, not just drywall anchors. Jackets with heavy pockets (keys, wallet, phone) plus wet raincoats add up fast. Mine's held a fully-loaded backpack for months.

The finishing touches

A small framed sign, a tray for keys on top of one Kallax cube, a small potted plant. Treat it like a mini-vignette. A lot of the styling rules from my how to style a coffee table post apply here — varied heights, intentional groupings, not overcrowding.

Things I wish I'd known

• Kallax comes in two colors, both are mediocre. Plan to paint if you care
• The standard Kallax depth is 15.4" — that's shallow. Plenty for a bench seat but don't expect it to hold large bins
• Wall-anchor the back of the Kallax to studs. People lean on these. They tip.
• The unit is heavy once built. Assemble in the spot it's going to live

Does it actually work for daily life?

Yes. My entryway went from a shoe pile to a functional station in an afternoon. My husband's keys have had a home for 8 months. When the house is messy, the mudroom bench is still presentable, which somehow sets the tone for everything else.

For $163, I got custom-looking mudroom storage that handles my actual life. Not a bad ROI for a Saturday and one trip to IKEA.